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Sun Electric
By domeguy, Section Solar Posted on Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 08:17:39 PM MST
anybody dealt with these folks before?

There is a "buy it now" ebay item for 200W solar panels at $500 ea. That's $2.50 / watt, which is a very low price. Is it too good to be true?

Sun Electric | 18 comments (18 topical)

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by dnix71 on Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 09:00:27 PM MST

I've bought from them in person because I live within driving distance. James (the original owner's son) refused to sell certain panels to me because I didn't have a high power MPPT in my setup. If you are asked about that, you can either lie or accept their judgment about what works.

The panels you ask about on their ebay store are "off-grid" only. They are not UL listed. I have 2 25-watt panels and a 50 watter like that and they are fine for a 12v system. They seem well made and come with a blocking diode.

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by domeguy on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 06:47:41 AM MST

Thanks dnix. As it happens my application is off-grid. I have an Outback MX-60 for a charge controller and 960 watts (nameplate) already. I'm thinking getting another 800 watts now. I think the MX-60 should handle it all OK. With my current array I've seen a maximum hourly current of 26.5 A. I'll need another couple of breakers for my combiner box to handle it though.

It's off that these aren't UL listed. Do you suppose they simply wanted to avoid the cost of testing? Do the panels you bought have a tempered glass top cover? I guess I'll have to ask them some questions...

[ Parent ]

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#13)
by dnix71 on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 04:12:01 PM MST

Yes, the glass is tempered, unlike HF panels. You don't need a UL list unless you grid tie and these are not made for that. It keeps the cost down, which attracts business.

[ Parent ]

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#17)
by Photowhit on Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 07:50:31 PM MST

I purchased 8 blemished 115 watt UL listed panels from them 3 years ago, every thing went fine after actually getting in touch with someone there.

I wanted to add @400 watts of panels this year, and all questions emailed to old addresses, emailed to new addresses in Ebay listings went unanswered, I even called twice and could not reach anyone. Very frustrating!

The 'Sun' panels in large sizes are mostly evergreen or a counterpart in Germany (I think most of the German panels are gone, boughtt cheaply when Germany changed some policies making solar less viable. They also have some Sun Power? panels which is a company that requires installing them selves or companies who only do business through them. They look diferent because they are made different and are some of the most effiecient panels made for consumer use. If your installing these they require a positive ground!!! so be careful how you install them.

Really a great company, shipping was less than a week to central Missouri, just very hard to communicate with There are other deals out there but they are the most consistent low price.

I ended up buying 2 - 170watt UL listed NB solar (NingBo Solar from China) UL list, 1st quality panels on Ebay from ValorSolar it was their first sale! They had become verified through PayPal so my purchase was secured! Paid less than $3 a watt delivered, got 8% back from Bill Gates for using bing.com to get to Ebay and another 30% back in tax Credit (they are for my house) pretty dang cheap!
-Whit "All who wander are not lost"
[ Parent ]

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by Opera House on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 10:13:22 AM MST

I bought one of their SUN-90 panels and it doesn't look like any other type of cell construction you'll see, but it outperforms other panels I have. A strange company to deal with. I did some research before buying and this is what I found. Don't like local pickup, some panels may be kicked around a little, may not get exactly what is pictured, they ship when they get around to it, if you ask them when they are shipping they are likely to cancel your order, and the worst packing of anyone out there. They just throw it in a box with about two inches of play in any XY direction, no padding for the glass. That said insurance is a must. Everything went fine for me and I think it was a great deal. They just have no idea of customer service and dealing with the public is a sideline they don't care about.

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#14)
by dnix71 on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 04:29:24 PM MST

They make money with volume, but not physically moving it through their small store. Sun sells big time to commercial installers. Selling s couple of panels here and there to an off-gridder doesn't pay the bills.

My panels were packaged very well and I was driving home with them. I had no complaint there. Their panels are all different sizes. I pic and pak for a living and it's tough to ship framed glass and not have a lot of it broken.

We sell framed motivational lithos and were forced to stop using glass because 1/4 got busted by a certain package shipper. And that was with special boxes designed to protect a standard size item. A broken panel is big money lost. That's one of the reasons for high prices on solar in the first place.

[ Parent ]

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by ferris484 on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 10:21:37 AM MST

Why are they considered "off grid" only? Is it because they are 12v? I'm new to this area, but I was thinking about buying from these guys too. Since they are 12v, cant they be placed into series for 24, 48v.. etc.? Sorry about the questions, but I have never heard this before and maybe I need to learn more. Just curious.

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by domeguy on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 10:56:24 AM MST

I think they're saying "off-grid only" because they're not UL certified. Sounds like a dodge to me, but I think I'll be OK in my application - it's on a power shed some distance from my house. By the way, I have a 24V system and plan on installing them in series pairs.

[ Parent ]

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by Airstream on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 11:21:10 AM MST

Third World Markets don't require UL listings; if the products fail in much harsher conditions than found in the US then Sun Electric would have 60 different governments - importers - distributors with trade delegations/representatives/lawyers in the Port of Miami camping on their doorstep; and I don't believe that it the case though you could probably check public Court Records to see if their business/owners name is repeatedly listed.

[ Parent ]

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by hydrosun on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 11:21:29 AM MST

They are off grid because they don't have a UL sticker. They are the same panels but built in Germany and the blemished panels haven't been tested by UL. So the assumption is an off grid system won't be checked by a nosy inspector that wants to see a UL sticker on all equipment. At first they were only selling these panels overseas for that reason. So if you are doing an on grid system and are willing to take the chance that the inspector is unlikely to crawl under the panels to take a look at the tag........
Chris

[ Parent ]

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#12)
by Ungrounded Lightning Rod on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 03:40:44 PM MST

You also have to consider that, after a fire, the insurance adjuster will also look for the UL tag and maybe you get no payoff if he doesn't find it.

So I'd go with UL parts on anything I'm installing where it might be blamed for damaging an insured structure - or starting a grass fire. Remote pump installation for watering cattle or irrigation that I'll replace out of pocket if it fails, maybe. Battery shed near enough the house for a fire to spread, no.

[ Parent ]

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by hydrosun on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 11:12:50 AM MST

I've made a few large orders with Sunelectronics. I try to research as much as possible before ordering to be sure of what I'm getting. But I still have some problems because of the lack of info on their website. A few years ago I ordered what was described as 24 volt panels. Turned out to be panels that had a maximum power point of 26 volts, so too low to charge a 24 volt battery. I ended up using them in sets of 3 on 48 volt battery systems with the Mx60 mppt.
Now they have panels with 18.5 volt mpp. So without a maximum power controller some of the potential power will be lost on a 12 volt system. I also got some of the 90 watt back contact panels that only had 32 cells but still had a high maximum power point. But there is very little explanation on the website and it's hard to know where the panels are made to be able to find specs elsewhere. I just ordered some 100 watt panels that their website said they had 9 in stock. I get an email after my check gets there that said they were out but were getting a shipment in a few weeks. So they take my order but go ahead and sell the panels to someone else. So beware of substitutions. I also haven't been impressed with how things a packed for shipment. I haven't had any broken panels but it seemed that they could have shifted in the container.

So yes their customer service isn't great. But the price is right and the panels work. And you eventually get what you pay for. Even if you aren't always totally sure what you are buying. I keep ordering from them but sometimes I have to sit on some panels until I find the right system that will work for them. Your experience may vary. Look at everything very carefully and try to contact them if you have any questions. Emails seem to have the best chance of getting an answer.

I saw they had some 120 watt panels but an oddity in the specs stopped me. It said the maximum system voltage was 70 volts. Most panels will work in systems up to 600 volts. I have no idea why these panels are different. I thought of using them on a system that wanted to add 480 watts on a Mx60 at 48 volts into a 12 volt battery. But 4 in series would be over 70 volts, so I didn't get them. They should work in lower voltage systems.
Chris

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by domeguy on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 01:18:23 PM MST

Thanks for all of the useful information. I need the power and have been waiting for a good price on some large panels. This is the lowest price I've seen, especially for new panels. It actually doesn't bother me that it will take some time for the panels to arrive. I now need to build some mounts, get some MC-4 cables, get another QO breaker for my "combiner box" (it's really an outdoor load center wired backwards), etc. Now if I could just get a little more power from my turbine...

[ Parent ]

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by ferris484 on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 11:15:56 AM MST

Thanks Domeguy,

Im going off grid as well, but the "12v" thing spooked me a bit and made me wonder if there was something to it. Please keep me updated because I am close to buying from these guys and would like to know if its worth it. Their Evergreen prices seem nice as well.

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by ferris484 on Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 11:19:10 AM MST

Thanks Hydro..

I really appreciate the info, thanks for taking the time and getting detailed.

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#15)
by Opera House on Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 04:12:30 AM MST

About the UL thing. UL is expensive. I have brought many products through UL and it is expensive. Every time you make a little hardware change it costs thousands to update the file. If you are making custom panels for road signs etc you want to avoid that. Even though panels are 12V, they can be strung together so that there can be hundreds of volts potential. That means insulation must be certified for the highest potential. Insuring the case is always safe to touch and any current fault will not cause a fire is the purpose of UL. I won't comment about needing it. If Home Depot required people to show building permits before a purchase, those places would all be out of business.

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#16)
by richhagen on Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 04:03:19 PM MST

I have bought a couple of thousand dollars worth of the SUN 50 panels from them. One panel was broke upon arrival in the first order and they replaced it with no fuss. There were two different junction box types on the same type of panel, but otherwise, no issues from them. I tested the sc current, the voltage, and the current into 12V upon there arrival, and found some differences between panels, but all were reasonably within specs. They were installed on my 48V system. I haven't noticed any significant changes in performance since then, and am thus far satisfied with my purchases. Rich
'A Joule saved is a Joule made'

Re: Sun Electric (3.00 / 0) (#18)
by domeguy on Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 09:33:31 AM MST

I received the 4 200W panels on Wednesday via freight delivery. The only inconvenience was that I had to drive my pickup to a place their semi could get to. The panels look good, have yet to install them.

Sun Electric | 18 comments (18 topical)

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